Iran’s national football team is heading to their World Cup base this weekend, buoyed by a 2-0 friendly victory over Mali in Turkey, even though signifcant uncertainty continues to cloud their tournament participation.
Goals from Saeid Ezatolahi and Ramin Rezaeian sealed the win, securing Team Melli’s record of three victories and a single loss in four warm-up matches in Antalya.
These friendlies represent the only competitive football for Iran-based players since the domestic league was suspended following US and Israeli air strikes on the Islamic Republic in late February, which triggered a regional war.
While the squad has secured visas for Mexico and will depart Turkey on Saturday for their Tijuana base, their group games in the United States remain unresolved.
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum agreed to host the team after US authorities reportedly expressed reluctance about Iran basing themselves in Arizona for the tournament period.
Iranian FA (FFIRI) President Mehdi Taj has voiced significant concern over the outstanding US visas, particularly as Iran’s opening fixture against New Zealand looms on 15 June.
“Visas for Mexico are ready and there are no issues there. Our national football team has to go to Tijuana in Mexico tomorrow,” Taj was quoted as saying by Fars News Agency.
“Whatever is supposed to happen will become clear today. We’ve told Fifa that if they do not issue visas for the players or the technical team and others, it is possible that we will take other decisions.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Tuesday there was “no problem” with the Iranian squad entering the country, but Washington would not permit officials or staff with ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to accompany them.
Both the US and Canada, co-hosting the World Cup, classify the IRGC as a “terrorist entity.”
Taj was denied entry into Canada for the Fifa Congress in late April due to his links to the elite military force.
Iran are due to play all three of their group matches in the US. After facing New Zealand, they are scheduled to take on Belgium before playing Egypt in Seattle.